UBC Welcomes our 13th President and Vice Chancellor

March 12, 2014

To the UBC Community

After an extensive, international search, it is my great pleasure to announce UBC’s 13th President and Vice Chancellor – Dr. Arvind Gupta. While the prospect of leading one of the world’s great universities produced a host of stellar candidates, the very best emerged from the midst of our own community.

Dr. Gupta is currently Chief Executive Officer and Scientific Director of Mitacs, a not-for-profit organization recognized internationally for its success in focusing students to be the next generation of innovators with the requisite research and business skills.

Arvind Gupta is a respected specialist in science and innovation policy, who has forged meaningful research collaborations between civil society, universities and business. His research expertise is in the field of combinational algorithms with applications to fields such as bioinformatics, which utilizes computer science to understand genetics.

Since 2012, Dr. Gupta has been a member of the Government of Canada’s Science, Technology and Innovation Council, an advisory body that provides external policy advice on science and technology issues and produces regular national reports measuring Canada’s science and technology performance against international standards of excellence.

In 2010, he was appointed to a six-member expert panel to review federal government support to industrial research and development. The recommendations of that panel entitled “Innovation Canada: A Call to Action” have had a significant and ongoing impact on government policy.

He speaks frequently on research and innovation policy across Canada with academic, public, and private sector audiences, as well as addressing international innovation issues. He is a regular contributor to the national dialogue through opinion editorials on international collaboration and recruitment, international competitiveness, innovation and productivity.

Dr.Gupta earned his PhD from the University of Toronto in 1991. He sits on a number of Boards including the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute, the Banff International Research Station, the Canadian Statistical Sciences Institute, the Canadian Mining Innovation Council, Mprime Network, and Mitacs as well as serving on the International Scientific Advisory Board of GRAND-NCE.

Arvind Gupta lives in Vancouver with his wife Dr. Michelle Pereira. He has three daughters, two of whom are students at UBC.

Dr. Gupta will begin his five-year term on July 1. At this time, I invite you to join me in welcoming Dr. Arvind Gupta as UBC’s new President, and to pledge your support in this exciting and challenging role.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to formally and publicly thank Professor Stephen Toope. Under his leadership, UBC has made great strides in the execution of its vision and strategy, elevating the university’s reputation and capabilities on all fronts. Stephen’s leadership has been exemplary. We look forward to continuing to work with Stephen as he guides us until the very end of his term June 30, 2014.